


Reflection

by Wynnsa



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28622247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wynnsa/pseuds/Wynnsa
Summary: Set immediately after the events of "The Rescue", Luke Skywalker reflects on the events that brought him to the Child.I'm new to this forum and haven't written anything in over 7 years. This came to me while trying to sleep so apologies if it's a bit rough - I'm a bit out of practice. :)Dialogue borrowed from the show, "The Little Lost Bantha Cub" borrowed from Legends.I own nothing but the idea. :)
Relationships: Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda & Luke Skywalker
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	Reflection

Luke and R2 worked in tandem to weave the X-Wing gently from the light cruiser's hangar. In his lap, the Child shifted restlessly, his soft whimpers mingling with the sounds of the ship. “It's all right, little one.” He gave a gentle pat of reassurance on the Child's shoulder. “You're safe now.”

Behind him, R2 warbled questioningly. 

“Yes, send the transmission. Tell Leia I'll be a few days late to the rendezvous.”

R2 chirped and Luke grinned. “Yes, I'm looking forward to see them as well. It's been too long.”

Once clear of the cruiser, the astromech plotted a course back along the trajectory in which they had arrived while Luke keyed in the coordinates for the hyperspace jump. The Child's whimpers became a little more anxious as they moved further away from the Imperial ship. 

“Shh,” he whispered as he wrapped his left arm around the Child's waist. Through the Force, he sent a wave of warmth towards the Child, offering as much comfort as he could. Luke couldn't begin to imagine what horrors the Imperials had subjected the youngling to; his face had been gaunt, his body weary from whatever they had done to him and he knew that it would take some time for the Child to feel that he was safe and no longer in danger. 

On his lap, Luke felt the movement of small arms working feverishly against the rough material of his robe as R2 alerted that the coordinates were set. He nodded in acknowledgement then pulled back on the lever. The X-Wing lurched slightly then disappeared into hyperspace. It would take several hours to reach their destination and as much as he wanted to connect with the Child, he sensed the overwhelming weariness that was starting to settle in. There would be plenty of time for that later. The whimpers slowly started to subside and Luke felt the youngling's breathing become more even. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, the back of his head gently resting against Luke's stomach. 

A long sigh escaped him as R2 trilled quietly. Luke nodded. “Yes, R2. He's sleeping. I suspect he might sleep the entire way there.”

There was a short pause then R2 beeped again. A ghost of a smile touched the corners of Luke's mouth. “I think he remembered you, too.”

R2 whistled happily then fell silent. Luke settled back against the chair and as he stared out at the mottled realm of hyperspace, he turned his thoughts to the events that had brought him to this small Child.

He had been mulling over a journal he had picked up on a return trip to Yavin 4 and had been so engrossed with what he had been reading that the powerful presence in the Force struck him so hard it had left him breathless. It was strong yet unbalanced and had seemed to create a chaotic path back to it. The Force had guided him through the confusion and as he had grown closer to reaching its origin, he discovered the unfocused thoughts of a child.

Not just any child, Luke had been shocked to learn. A child of Yoda's species. Could he be related to his old master or simply another member of his race? He had never seen another being like Master Yoda in all his travels and had foolishly believed that there were no others. Shock had quickly faded into intrigue.

The images the Child projected continued and were jumbled and intertwined; showing Luke many things at once. A planet with rocky hills and sparse foliage. A temple, burning against a night sky. A wall of blue energy surrounding a large stone. Stormtroopers. A Togruta female smiling at him. An Ugnaught staring down at him. Children playing. The whirring of a speeder bike careening over hot sand. A silver ball floating towards him. A figure hidden in armour, calling to him as he rushed towards the stone, his words muffled; his tone brimming with fear.

_Where are you?_ Luke had asked and the Force had whispered _Tython_ before their connection ended. Their bond had not be broken, however, and even as he and R2 had been racing towards the X-wing to find this Child, he knew he was in danger and there wasn't much time to help him.

A soft stirring in front of him brought Luke's gaze downward. Little tufts of white hair peppered the Child's green head, his little body shaking with a sigh as he fell deeper into slumber. Luke smiled. _I can't imagine Master Yoda ever being this small ... or less wrinkled._

The Force connection with the little one hadn't lasted long and even though the images he was showing Luke were cluttered, he had gleaned enough to know that the Imperials were after this Child ... but he wasn't alone; there were people trying to keep him safe.

It was a motley crew, Luke reflected as he brought his thoughts back to those they left behind on the cruiser. The woman dressed in black appeared to be a sniper, independent perhaps as she had no insignia on her clothes. The other unmasked woman bore the markings of a Rebel Shock Trooper and when Luke had caught her stare, he sensed a growing recognition flow threw her. The other two women in the room were both armoured from head to toe and they never lowered their weapons away from him for the brief minutes he was there. 

When Luke had pulled back his hood and looked at the Mandalorian male, he instantly recognized him as the armoured man from the Child's thoughts. Although not Force sensitive, the Mandalorian had a commending presence of his own and Luke had assumed he was the leader of their small group. 

A frown tugged at the corners of his lips. When Luke had told the Mandalorian that the Child wanted his permission to go with him, there was a moment of hesitation followed swiftly by an overwhelming sense of sorrow. He hadn't expected such a significant reaction from the Child's guardian. He glanced down at the sleeping form once more and wondered for the first time how this little one ended up as the Mandalorian's ward. 

Luke shifted his left arm slightly, bringing his fingers to rest gently on the Child's arm. Closing his eyes, he touched the Child's mind and was pleased to find him at peace. It would be easy for Luke to take a journey through his thoughts, to piece together the story that brought them together. He would learn the full truth of it later, when they had a chance to once again communicate through the Force, but for now, he would learn would he could about what happened to him. Taking a deep breath, Luke reached deep within the Force, searching the Child's memories.

_“Wait. They said fifty years old.”  
“Species ages differently. Perhaps it will live many centuries. Sadly, we'll never know.”  
“No, we'll bring it alive.”  
“The commission was quite specific. The asset was to be terminated.” _

_“Welcome back, Mando! Now, put the package down.”  
“Step aside. I'm going to my ship.”  
“You put the bounty down and perhaps I'll let you pass.”  
“The kid's coming with me.”  
“If you truly care about the kid, then you'll put it in the speeder and we'll discuss terms.”  
“Let's see ... Sorgan: Looks like there's no starport, no industrial centres, no population density. Real backwater skuggle-home. Which means it's perfect for us. Ready to lay low and stretch your legs for a couple of months, you little womp rat? Nobody's gonna find us here.”_

_“I'm gonna need to take this thing off.”  
“No. You leave me. You make sure the child is safe. Here. When you get to the Mandalorian covert, you show them that. You tell them it's from Din ... Djarin. You tell them the Foundling was in my protection, and they'll help you.”  
“We can make it. Come on! Let's go!”   
“I'm not gonna make it and you know it.”   
.....  
“Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction.”  
“This is the one.”  
“This is the one you hunted then saved?”  
“Yes, the one that saved me as well.”  
“From the Mudhorn?”  
“Yes.”  
......  
“I'm staying. I need to help her and I need to heal.”  
“You must go. A Foundling is in your care. By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way. You have earned your signet. You are a clan of two.”  
.....  
“What have you got there?”  
“I didn't think I'd see this again. Why don't you hang onto that?”_

Luke saw a myriad of memories; of images weaving a tale of constant peril as the Mandalorian tried to protect the Child from the Imperials who had wanted him. Their journey took them all over the Outer Rim; from Arvala-7 to Nevarro, to the familiar sands of Tatooine to the lush green world of Sorgan – the only place the guardian and his ward stayed for any length of time. A hunter had found them there and they were on the move again, never staying anywhere long and narrowly avoiding run-ins with ships either trying to disable them or blow them out of the sky. The Mandalorian didn't always make the best choices for their safety but he did the best he could and recruited help from those who had assisted them in the past when the threat to the Child became too great. 

He hadn't been expecting to see the Child wield the Force and when he did, Luke had been surprised by the power the little one possessed. He had levitated a creature ten times larger than him to save the Mandalorian from certain death. He had held back flames to save himself and the others when the Imperials no longer cared if they lived or died. A Force choke – not in malice but in an attempt to help the Mandalorian whom he had thought was in danger. Stealing cookies from a student in a classroom, his fear and anger manifesting as he thrashed two stormtroopers around a cell.

He saw the Krayt dragon, the hunters who ambushed them and tried to kill the Manadorian and take the Child. He watched as the guardian and his ward, along with a female species he didn't recognize barely survive an encounter with ice spiders. He saw other Mandalorians rescue them when the Quarren's desire for the invaluable Beskar armour nearly cost them their lives. He felt the lingering fear from when the black droid troopers snatched him from the stone, the Child's frightened screams for the Mandalorian swept away on the wind. There were months of running and hiding, fighting and surviving; it was too much for any youngling to bare.

They weren't all memories fraught with danger, Luke discovered with genuine wonder. These were quieter moments that seemed to cling to the surface of the Child's mind; memories he could call upon at a moment's notice should he want to relive them. 

_He wrapped his arms around his boot, tugging gently on the soft leather, as he looked up and cooed.  
“Hey. What are you doing up?” He reached down and lifted him off the floor then set him down on the table. A cool breeze trickled in from the opened window and brushed playfully over his ears. He giggled at the feel of it.   
“Did you have a bad dream? Do you need to be changed?”   
He shook his head, cooing happily as he tried to stretch for the plate of food inches away from him. He heard him sigh. “You're hungry again? I've never met a kid with an appetite like yours. Here.” He picked up one of the yummy biscuits that had become his favourite snack and passed it to him.   
Greedy little claws latched on merrily and he began to munch. He looked up and smiled then held out the hand with the biscuit and offered to share.   
He shook his head and he imagined there was a smile underneath the helmet. “Thanks. I'm good.”  
They sat quietly for a moment in the muted light of the room. It was still dark outside and he hoped that the sun would be out soon so he could go play with his new friends.   
“Listen, I have to head back to the ship in the morning. I'm gonna bring back some tools to help break down that walker.” Another munch, another happy sigh. “I'll be gone most of the day but Cara will be looking after you 'til I get back. Omera will help as well and I want you to be good and listen to everything they say. Okay?”   
He nodded and tried to take another bite of the biscuit but a yawn rudely interrupted.   
“Good. Now finish up your snack then it's back to bed.”_

_The village slowly shrank in the distance as the hovercar moved away from the home they had known for weeks. If he squinted hard enough, he could still see Winta and his friends watching them go. He whimpered quietly and felt tears begin to swell.  
He was lifted from his spot on the crate then felt the warmth of the shirt beneath the armour as he was tucked against his side, one gloved hand resting gingerly against his belly. “I'm sorry, buddy. The hunters found us and it's not safe anymore.” His voice was sad. “I don't know where we're going yet but I'll figure it out once we get off this rock.”  
He took one finger between his claws and squeezed it tight. Another whimper slipped away as he nuzzled against his arm but he smiled when he felt the gloved thumb gently rub against his skin. Did he not know that he **was** safe? He knew he would always be safe with him, no matter where they were._

_He bonked the small datapad against the side of the helmet, giggling at the sound it made. He liked that sound, so he did it again.  
“Hey!” He rolled over on his side, raising a hand to block the datapad before it could bang against his helmet for the third time. “It's nap time.”  
He held out the datapad, cooing happily. The nice lady from the village had given them a few toys and some things that he might like when they had left but it was the books he liked the most. He liked the bright, colourful pictures but most of all he liked hearing his voice as he read the stories.   
“Fine,” he sighed, and instead of sitting up, he rolled over on his back, propping his head up against the pillow and the wall behind him. The bunk they shared was small but he didn't mind. He was small too. “One story then back to bed.”  
As he took the datapad with one hand, the other lifted him up and settled him on his shoulder. He purred gleefully, leaning against the side of the helmet.  
The datapad sprang to life with letters and pictures. “The Little Lost Bantha,” he said around a yawn. “Are you ready?”  
He giggled, his little clawed hands clasped together in anticipation.  
“After the sandstorm that drove him from home, the little lost bantha calf wandered alone. So he walked, and he walked through the desert heat till noon, when he found a Jawa Sandcrawler upon a Sandy dune. 'I am lost,' said the bantha calf, 'please help me find my herd,' but the little Jawas shook their heads and gave their final word...”_

There were more memories like those than Luke wasn't expecting to find. There was so much joy and peace in those moments, and not just through the Child; he could feel mirrored emotions from the Mandalorian, almost as if each moment was a new wonder, a new experience he wasn't quite ready for but eager to meet it. 

Luke was about to slip away and leave the Child's memories to himself but the Force whispered to him to take one more look, there was something important left for him to see. 

He found it, lurking behind all the rest of the thoughts in the little mind. It was almost as if he was trying to hide this memory; as if he wanted to forget. It was full of sadness and longing, of fear and relief. Luke took a deep breath and called the recollection to him.

_“Ahsoka Tano! Bo-Katan sent me. We need to talk.”  
“I hope it's about him.”  
.....  
“Is he ... speaking to you? Do you understand him?”  
“In a way. Grogu and I can feel each other's thoughts.”  
“Grogu?”  
“Yes. That's his name.”  
....  
“I sense much fear in you. He's hidden his abilities to survive over the years. Let's try something else. Come over here.”  
“He's stubborn.”  
“Not him. You. I want to see if he'll listen to you.”  
“That would be a first.”  
“I like firsts. Good or bad, they're always memorable.”  
.....   
“Good job! Good job, kid!You see that? That's right. I knew you could do it. Very good.”  
“He's formed a strong attachment to you. I cannot train him.”  
“What? Why not? You've seen what he can do.”  
“His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger.”  
“All the more reason to train him.”  
.....  
The Magistrate sent me to kill you. I didn't agree to anything. And, I'll help you with your problem, if you see to it that Grogu is properly trained.”  
....  
“Wake up, buddy. It's .. time to say to goodbye.”  
.....  
“You're like a father to him. I cannot train him.”  
“You made me a promise. I held up my end.”  
“There is one possibility. Go to the planet Tython. There, you will find the ancient ruins of a temple that has a strong connection to the Force. Place Grogu on the seeing stone at the top of the mountain.”  
“Then what?”  
“Then Grogu may choose his path. If he reaches out through the Force, there’s a chance a Jedi may sense his presence and come searching for him. Then again, there aren’t many Jedi left.”  
“Thank you.”  
“May the Force be with you.”  
.....  
“This is Tython. That's where we're going to try and find you a Jedi. But you have to agree to go with them if they want you to. Understand? Plus, I can't train you. You're ... too powerful. Don't you want to learn more of that Jedi stuff? I agreed to take you back to your kind, so that's what I need to do. You understand, right?”_

A soft coo stirred him back to the present. Luke looked down to find the Child still sleeping however he had shifted in his lap. His small body had tilted a bit to the left and he had half-turned on his back and his right hand seemed to be clutching something. Curious, Luke gently lifted the tiny fingers and picked up the object to study it. It was a pendant in the shape of the symbol Luke had come to recognize as Mandalorian. 

Realization struck hard like a blow to the chest. The Mandalorian's tears. The Child's whimpers. Suddenly, all the memories and emotions began to make sense. The Mandalorian and the Child were never a guardian and his ward. Grogu and Din Djarin were much more than that. His eyes remained locked on the pendant. 

_“You are a clan of two.”_

A knot formed in his throat as his gaze brushed across the sleeping child. _I ... I misunderstood. How did I not see it?_

_Easy,_ the Force seemed to whisper. _You weren't looking. You were focused on securing the Child and getting him away from the Imperials. Don't fault yourself for that. Go back now, though, and you will see._

Luke closed his eyes and drew his thoughts back to the final minutes onboard the light cruiser. 

_“He doesn't want to go with you.”  
“He wants your permission.”  
The Mandalorian recoiled ever so slightly and his hesitation was swiftly followed by an overwhelming sense of sorrow. He had been prepared to give Grogu to Ahsoka Tano when he thought she was going to train him. He hadn't been prepared for this. That knowledge stung deep and Luke wished he had been able to give Din Djarin more time to say goodbye.  
“He is strong with the Force, but talent without training is nothing. I will give my life to protect the Child… but he will not be safe until he masters his abilities.”  
Grogu peered up at Djarin, his ears drooping slightly as his wide brown eyes never left the Mandalorian. Djarin picked up him gently, and held him up close to his helmet. Grogu sighed sadly, and through the Force, Luke sensed his fear, and although he wanted to go with Luke, he sensed his desire to stay with the bounty hunter.   
“Hey. Go on. That's who you belong with. He's one of your kind.” His voice was quiet and wavering with an emotion he was desperately trying to quell. “I'll see you again. I promise.”  
Grogu whimpered low, his coos sad and full of longing. He raised his tiny hand toward the helmet, his clawed fingers lightly scraping against the Beskar.  
Djarin shifted Grogu ever-so-slightly in his arm then with his right hand, he slowly removed his helmet. Brown eyes, damp with tears that threatened to betray, stared down in wonder, in pride, in sadness as he looked upon the Child for the first time without the helmet to mute his vision.   
Grogu cooed, his own wonder and sadness mingling with the Mandalorian's. He lifted his arm once more, and as he placed his tiny hand on his jaw, gently rubbing the stubble beneath his claws, Djarin's lips quivered slightly as he closed his eyes, savouring the touch.  
It was an intimate moment, one that seem to melt the rest of the world away as Grogu and Djarin remained in the moment for just a little longer. It was a significant thing, Luke knew, and he wondered if this was the first time anyone had touched the Mandalorian's face since he chose to wear the helmet.   
Djarin opened his eyes, a renegade tear breaking free down his cheek. “All right, pal. It's time to go.” His voice was thick with emotion. “Don't be afraid.” As he placed Grogu down, the Child wrapped his arms as far as he could around one of his boots. Luke sensed that Djarin was struggling with the desire to scoop Grogu back up in his arms but he fought it – he fought it with every fibre of his being because he knew that this was best for Grogu. He had to let him go._

_A selfless act of love._

Luke swallowed past the hard lump in his throat as his thoughts drifted back to a moment in time, in the hangar of a dying Death Star, with the man who had once been called Vader.

_“... Let me look on you with my own eyes.”_

He opened his eyes and returned his gaze to Grogu. The child's snores were quiet and his eyelids fluttered as if he were dreaming. A smile touched Luke's lips. He had no doubt he knew who Grogu was dreaming of. 

“Don't worry, little one,” he whispered as he gently tucked the Mandalorian pendant back underneath his tiny hand. He clutched it instinctively and pulled it close to his heart. “Everything will be all right. And I promise, you will see your father again.”


End file.
